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Allegations of Sexual
Abuse in NZ |
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An English tourist has been left
bruised and traumatised after she was dragged from a walking track near
Haruru Falls and subjected to a horrific sexual assault. The attack has left locals
sickened and brought memories flooding back of a sex attack on Dutch
honeymooners at the falls just over a year ago. Paihia police are investigating
the incident, which took place between 5.30-6pm on Wednesday, and are
appealing for witnesses who may have seen the woman or her alleged attacker
on the track between the Waitangi Treaty Grounds and Haruru Falls. After the assault the woman, who
is working with a local tourist company, made her way to a nearby house. A woman at the address, who did
not want to be named, called police who swarmed to the Haruru Falls area and
cordoned off surrounding streets. The woman said the tourist was
still petrified after the ordeal. "It's terrible, she's very
traumatised and shaken. I've just tried to get her to sleep as she didn't
sleep at all last night, she's terrified." She was unable to say whether the
tourist would return to England or continue her year-long working holiday. "We're just going to look
after her and offer her support. I've never dealt with anything like this
before and it's very hard because we're very attached to her. We need all the
help we can get to catch the bastard." Haruru Falls was the scene of
another sex attack, on a honeymooning Dutch couple, in November 2006. Keith Anthony McEwen, 30, and
Christopher Mana Manuel, 27, forced their way into the sleeping couple's
campervan. The victims were tied up and
McEwen sexually violated the woman before the pair were driven to an ATM and
forced to withdraw money. McEwen was sentenced to preventive
detention and will serve at least 10 years, while Manuel was sentenced to
nine. Yesterday police were back at
Haruru Falls, searching for clues and leaving locals speculating about what
had happened. The manager of the Riverside Lodge
Motel near the Haruru Falls carpark, who didn't want to be named, said she
wished police had told her a sex attacker could be on the loose. "It's terrible what's
happened, it's disgusting," she said. "I've got two teenage
daughters and I don't want them going out alone now. "I get a lot of backpackers
staying here and I've got one girl at the moment who I'll keep a close eye
on." The woman said she often felt
uneasy around the "dark and secluded" walking track. "I had two girls last week
whose car got locked in the falls carpark. They said they'd just sleep in the
car in the carpark but I said `no way'. It's too dangerous. Especially when
you think this isn't the first time someone has been sexually attacked
there." • Anyone with information can call
Paihia police on (09) 402 6102
Description of alleged attacker: Male European; aged in his mid to
late 30s; dark brown hair, about a No.4 cut; a large ring on his right hand;
blue eyes and light stubble on his face; spoke with an accent, thought to be
North American; athletically built; wearing blue jeans and a navy blue
T-shirt with a white circular pattern on the front; carrying a backpack that
appeared to be full; barefoot at the time of the attack. |
